THE SPITZ TAKE: Who will Tuesday's winner choose?

On Tuesday, voters will decide which man will represent them in Washington; then it's up to the winner to decide who will represent him on Capitol Hill and at home.

Julia Spitz/Daily News staff

On Tuesday, voters will decide which man will represent them in Washington; then it's up to the winner to decide who will represent him on Capitol Hill and at home.

The people U.S. Rep. Ed Markey or Republican challenger Gabriel Gomez choose will be key to the winner's success, or failures, as a senator.

They'll also be key to ensuring our voices are heard.

"You need a good team to get things done,'' said U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-2nd. "I don't do this all on my own.''

"Your staff is an extension of yourself,'' said state Rep. Carolyn Dykema, D-Holliston.

Choose wisely and your constituents will be well served. Choose unwisely and your constituents will be calling reporters to complain. And, trust me, the complaints won't be about the staffer, but about you.

Aides are the ones who take the calls and make the calls on myriad issues every day.

"Their influence on the legislator is significant,'' said state Sen. Richard Moore, D-Uxbridge.

If Gomez wins, he'll be likely to hire more than 30 people. If Markey wins, it would probably be closer to 15, since he already has a staff in place, but senators typically have larger staffs than representatives because funding for staff is tied to the number of people the legislator serves.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren currently has a staff of 35 for her Washington, Boston and Springfield offices.

They have titles such as chief of staff, deputy press secretary, legislative assistant and state director, but the jobs share requirements needed for aides to local legislators as well.

They need to be good listeners, able to process information accurately, juggle numerous tasks, be unfailingly polite but not just "yes men,'' and willing to work long hours for salaries that often aren't tops.

"You want to have staff that reflect the approach the legislator has,'' said state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, who was once an aide to former state Sen. Bob Durand of Marlborough. "I like to have a staff that isn't a bunch of yes men and women, that feel comfortable challenging my views.''

Being challenging to a constituent is another matter entirely.

A good staffer needs to "be pleasant and professional, even if the person (on the other end of the phone) is quite angry,'' Eldridge said. "Whoever calls the office, the staff needs to be polite and go the extra mile.''

Callers "expect an answer back, even if it's not the answer they want to hear,'' said Moore. To a constituent with a concern, a response from a staffer "reflects whether the legislator cares.''

"Often when people call, they're at the end of their rope,'' said Dykema, and an effective aide needs to recognize that fact.

Some issues can be dealt with entirely by staff members, but "I need to trust (my aide) to know when to elevate it'' to her attention, Dykema said.

Legislators' staff have to be able to correctly interpret what the issue is and convey the information to the elected official, whether it's a local resident's complaint or the small print in a big bill. They're the ones doing the lion's share of research and the legislator has to be able to rely on the accuracy of the staff's work.

The job isn't necessarily dependent on party loyalty.

"The loyalty should be to the district,'' Eldridge said.

Still, it would be unusual for staffers to be on the opposite extreme of the political spectrum from their boss.

Highly effective campaign workers are often on the short list for post-election jobs, but hands-on experience counts as well.

"Often a new legislator would look for people who might (already) be there,'' on Beacon Hill or Capitol Hill, said Moore. You might look for those who have worked for the previous office-holder or those who have previously worked in similar offices, he said.

The staff Tuesday's victor chooses will have a trickle-down effect.

As a state legislator, "my office works with congressional offices on a daily basis,'' said Dykema. "Having a staff that follows up and follows through is very important'' when a local constituent's concern is best addressed at a higher level.

The winner's picks will also influence what he can accomplish.

"I think about all the events I go to, all the bills I file, so much of the work that gets done on those is done by the staff,'' Eldridge said.

On Tuesday, voters will go to the polls to pick the man they want to be their voice for the next six years.

Then it's up to him to pick the right team to help all our voices be heard.

Julia Spitz can be reached at 508-626-3968 or jspitz@wickedlocal.com. You can also read the Spitz Bits blog at www.metrowestdailynews.com/blogs/spitzbits and follow tweets at twitter.com/SpitzJ_MW.

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